Understanding Liability in Santa Monica, CA Accidents

If you were hurt in Santa Monica, the person who caused the crash or fall may not be the only party responsible for your losses. Rideshare companies, robotaxi operators, delivery businesses, property owners, and public agencies can all share liability, and each may carry separate insurance. Our Santa Monica, CA personal injury lawyer can trace every connection between the people involved and the businesses behind them to find every available source of compensation. Cohen Injury Law Group handles liability investigations for crashes, falls, and other injuries across the city, starting with the insurance policies each responsible party carries.

Why Identifying Every Liable Party Matters

An individual driver may carry only California’s minimum of $30,000 per person in bodily injury coverage, which rarely covers a serious injury. When a business, a vehicle owner, or a public agency shares responsibility, additional policies may be available. Liability also determines how damages are divided among defendants under California’s comparative fault rules. When the City or another public agency is involved, special rules for public-entity negligence and a six-month claim deadline apply.

Rideshare Companies and Their Insurance Tiers

Rideshare pickups and drop-offs are part of daily traffic near the Promenade and the Pier. Public Utilities Code §5433 sets the insurance that must be in place, and the amount depends on what the driver was doing:

• Driver accepted a ride or is carrying a passenger: At least $1,000,000 in primary liability coverage applies from the moment the driver accepts a request until the trip ends. In a rideshare accident, passengers also have uninsured motorist protection if another driver causes the crash.
• Driver logged in and waiting for a request: Required coverage drops to $50,000 per person, $100,000 per incident, and $30,000 for property damage, plus $200,000 in excess coverage provided by the company. These tiers set what Lyft’s insurance covers after a crash, and the same statute applies to Uber.
• App turned off: Only the driver’s personal policy applies, which is why saving Uber and Lyft data after a crash can change the value of a claim.

Self-Driving Vehicles on Santa Monica Streets

Waymo’s driverless ride service area has included Santa Monica since 2024, which raises new liability questions when a robotaxi is involved in a crash. With no human behind the wheel, claims typically focus on the company operating the vehicle and how its automated system performed. California regulations require autonomous vehicle manufacturers operating under testing permits to report collisions to the DMV within 10 days, and the DMV makes those collision reports available to the public. In self-driving car accident claims, we request sensor and camera data early, before it can be lost.

Delivery Drivers, Commercial Trucks, and Vehicle Owners

When an on-duty employee causes a crash, the employer is typically responsible for the harm. That covers delivery vans double-parked on Wilshire, contractors’ work trucks, and tractor-trailers supplying Santa Monica businesses. Our truck accident lawyer in Santa Monica, CA looks beyond the driver to the carrier, the company that loaded the cargo, and the shop that maintained the vehicle.

Vehicle owners who lend a car to someone else can also be liable, but certain laws cap that liability. Those caps do not apply when the driver was acting as the owner’s employee or agent, so the reason someone was behind the wheel matters.

Bars, Restaurants, and Alcohol-Related Crashes

Santa Monica’s bars and restaurants serve a steady stream of locals and visitors, but California law limits when a business that served alcohol can be held responsible for a drunk driver’s crash. In most cases, the intoxicated driver, not the bar, is liable. A key exception allows claims against a licensed seller that sells or furnishes alcohol to an obviously intoxicated minor under Business and Professions Code §25602.1. Adults who knowingly serve alcohol to someone under 21 at their home can also face liability. Victims of drunk driving crashes may also have claims against the driver’s insurer and under their own uninsured motorist coverage.

Hotels, Short-Term Rentals, and Other Property Owners

Visitors to Santa Monica often stay in beachfront hotels or short-term rentals. Hotel owners must keep pools, stairways, balconies, and walkways reasonably safe, and the same duty applies to hosts who rent homes or rooms to guests. When a guest is hurt, liability can extend to the owner, the property manager, and sometimes a maintenance contractor. Our slip and fall lawyer in Santa Monica, CA handles falls at these properties, and we also represent guests injured at Airbnb rentals in Los Angeles.

Talk to a Personal Injury Attorney in Santa Monica, CA About Liability

Attorney Wayne R. Cohen has practiced law since 1991, and his commentary on liability for self-driving vehicles has appeared in ABA Journal. Attorney Nicholas E. Cohen works with him to identify every responsible party, from rideshare companies to commercial carriers. Cohen Injury Law Group investigates each claim before negotiating with any insurer.

Consultations are free, and you pay no attorney fees unless we recover compensation. Contact our team to discuss who may be responsible for your injuries.

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